Baptiste pleads not guilty to Non-Capital Murder

Twenty-three-year-old Labourer, Phillip Baptiste has pleaded not guilty to a Non-Capital Murder charge brought against him in connection to the March 2017 death of his uncle, 55-year-old Glen “Brass” Baptiste, who allegedly died after receiving a fatal blow to the back of his head with a glass bottle.

Phillip Baptiste – faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment

The youngster, entered the plea last week Thursday, when he appeared before Madam Justice Paula Gilford at the No. 2 High Court in St. George’s, represented by criminal defense attorney, Peter David.

The Sanko, Boca resident, who was described by his own father as being problematic due to constant smoking of ganja and heavy alcohol drinking appeared calm in court and was supported by his mother, who anxiously sat and listened to the court proceedings.

THE NEW TODAY had visited the small village after the killing and one person described “Brass” as a very helpful person, one that villagers, who did basket making, will turn towards to go into the mountain and bring down bamboo for them to ply their trade.

According to the father of the murder accused and also the brother of the deceased, “Brass” would normally charge $20 to $40.00 depending on the amount of bamboo collected and would use his payment on drinks in the village rum shop.

He said that ‘Brass” would get “high” and exchange words with others in the rum shop but did not mean no harm to anyone.

“Ah really don’t know what he (my son) would have killed him for. He didn’t have to kill him”, he remarked. Saddened that his own would go to the extent of killing his own uncle, the father of the murder accused told THE NEW TODAY that he did not know what exactly caused the altercation between the two but if he was around the incident would not have happened.

Back then, the father vowed not to give any legal support to his son, who he said neglected education and “used to go in town and drink out the money (he received to go to school), he and his friends.”

Having entered a plea of not guilty, Baptiste, who faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, now awaits the start of his trial, in which he will seek to prove his innocence with the assistance of his attorney.